Symbolism In The Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his short story The Birthmark (written and published prior
to 1843), contains the element of symbolism to present the theme of personal
beauty, regardless of physical appearance. More specifically, he speaks of the
appearance of Georgiana, the wife of Aylmer, who had a very large birthmark, or
blemish that appeared upon birth. God made every individual perfect, and made it
very clear that man not need go tampering with the beauty, inner or external, that God
gave someone at the moment of their birth birth. The style Hawthorne chose
describes each symbol with great detail . For example, when Hawthorne describes the
birthmark in detail; ...But if any shifting motion caused her to turn pale there was the
mark again,... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For example, Aylmer tries to destroy Georgiana s human nature [her birthmark, in
which born with], thus destroying her life, because she essentially contained no
beauty on the outside (Rosenberg, The Best The Earth Has To Offer). Aylmer
wanted to cure his wife from the birthmark she had that he so dreaded. He looked at
his wife as being Shocking (Hawthorne, The Birthmark). Another example would be
when Aminabad looked at Georgiana with the identity given to her, not the identity
her husband wants for her . ...Aminadab, looking intently at the lifeless form of
Georgiana; and then he muttered to himself, If she were my wife, I d never part with
that birthmark. Aminadab shows large levels of content with the appearance and
features of Georgiana, that he would have never tampered with the features given to
her at birth, opposed to Aylmer, who wanted to change the way she looked, that she
be more beautiful to him (Rosenberg, The best the Earth has to Offer). A third
example of this theme would be That Georgiana Wants Her husband to love her the
way she is, and in the beginning of the story, gets rather upset at him. Shocks you, my
husband! cried Georgiana, deeply hurt; at first reddening with momentary anger, but
then bursting into tears. Then why did you take me from my mother s side?
(Hawthorne, The Birthmark).